Saturday, January 17, 2009

Silver Wind: Durban, South Africa, Day 5

Silver Wind’s arrival in Durban was somewhat unusual—the harbor pilot was to board via helicopter. Unfortunately, wind and rain thwarted that plan and we were escorted into port by tugboats.

Once tied up, we were greeted by Zulus in tribal dress performing native songs and dance. Inside the terminal was a marketplace of crafts and souvenirs. We made our way through security to coaches that were taking us to the Tala Private Game Reserve where we hoped to catch sight of more Big Five animals—namely the rhino and cape buffalo. We wouldn’t be disappointed, even though the buffalo eluded us.

Once in the game reserve, we immediately spotted giraffes, impalas, hippopotamus, and, finally, the rhinoceros. The day was drizzly and gloomy, but our guide steered the open Land Rover off the beaten path to make sure we’d have the best experience possible. We couldn’t have asked for more.

Back aboard Silver Wind we ordered room service dinner from the restaurant menu and called it a night early. Tomorrow is a big day with an all-day excursion in Richards Bay where we might add another of the Big Five to our sightings.

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